2021 Free Agency: Grading the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Decision to Herald Rayshawn Jenkins
Coming into the 2021 offseason, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Metropolis Meyer had a couple of problem groups he thought to be the most real looking of priorities to rebuild. Amongst these positions shut to the high of the list modified into once security, a problem that modified into once in entire flux for the Jaguars in 2020.
The Jaguars’ resolution for that problem, as a minimal for now, is free agent addition Rayshawn Jenkins, the 2d-most real looking-paid former the Jaguars bought for the period of the free company job. After four years enjoying extra than one roles with the Chargers, including the previous two seasons as a starter, Jenkins is now tasked with helping rebuild the Jaguars’ secondary.
Jacksonville’s funding in Jenkins wasn’t small; he modified into once given a four-Twelve months, $35 million address $16 million in ensures, making him even handed one of many most real looking-paid avid gamers on Jacksonville’s defense. Did his play in Los Angeles give an explanation for that payday, and ethical how smartly does he match with the Jaguars? We explore below.
How does he match?
The Jaguars badly important to search out a starting stable security following a 2020 season the set they actually would possibly well perchance not to find a respectable resolution at the snarl. While Jenkins has spent time at free security, stable security, and even within the slot, it is extra doubtless than not that he’ll be the stable/box security in Jacksonville’s defense.
While Jenkins spent his two years as a starter (31 video games) with the Chargers enjoying extra than one roles, his easiest season came in 2020 when he predominantly performed box security. Per Legit Soccer Level of curiosity, he spent over 50% of his defensive snaps within the box, within the damage spending 493 snaps within the box in former Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s plan.
In 2020, Jenkins recorded profession-highs in tackles (84) and tackles for loss (four) whereas moreover recording two interceptions, four trudge deflections, and a sack. But his progressed protection stats are a factual bit extra impressive than these numbers.
Per Legit Soccer Reference, Jenkins modified into once focused 64 instances and allowed 42 completions (65.6%) for 366 yards. This comes out to moral 8.7 yards per completion, 5.7 yards per aim, and a passer ranking allowed of ethical 78.0. Evaluate these to the protection numbers that just about all of Jacksonville’s stable safeties posted in 2020 and Jenkins comes out clearly on high.
Brooding about Jenkins’s success as a stable security in 2020, it is not not easy to envision his feature with the Jaguars in Joe Cullen’s defense. He must be the projected starter at stable security and utilized primarily within the box, nonetheless he has the athleticism and trip to be moved around the formation as smartly.
While it remains to be viewed how many defensive concepts Cullen is bringing over from Baltimore, the Ravens were identified for the utilize of dime programs and having three safeties on the sphere at one time at an increased price. Jenkins’s trip in extra than one roles methodology the Jaguars can belief him in dime programs with extra than one duties.
Affect on depth chart
Jacksonville desperately had to search out a security able to enjoying the stable security feature sooner than training camp and it is not not easy to make a choice out the set Jenkins figures into their new depth chart.
The Jaguars traded Ronnie Harrison to the Cleveland Browns sooner than Week 1 supreme season, whereas former starter Josh Jones modified into once amongst the worst protection safeties within the NFL supreme season and grew to turn into a free agent supreme week. Rookie Daniel Thomas impressed in his restricted time on the sphere, nonetheless he modified into once restricted to moral two starts because of the a season-ending arm hurt.
As a end result, the Jaguars’ easiest bet for a starting security sooner than Jenkins would were Thomas. Jenkins has 29 extra video games of trip as a starter and has been within the NFL three years longer than Thomas, so it is not not easy to envision why the Jaguars seen Jenkins as a logical player to placed on high of the depth chart.
Then there may be ceaselessly how mighty the Jaguars paid Jenkins. Whilst you happen to ever are uncommon about how magnificent of a feature a group envisions for a player, ethical ogle at the contract they are given on the delivery market. The Jaguars paid Jenkins take care of a starting security and take care of nothing else. Jenkins being the rest nonetheless a Week 1 starter whereas being paid the manner he is would possibly well perchance be a shock on extra than one levels.
Total, Jenkins mustn’t commerce mighty about Jarrod Wilson’s set of residing on the depth chart, nonetheless he does bump down both Thomas and Andrew Wingard. The Jaguars paid Jenkins to be a key allotment of their rebuild of the secondary and that is exactly the feature he must be anticipated to play.
Total grade: C.
When taking into account Jenkins’s versatility, manufacturing as a stable security in 2020, and the indisputable reality that he is 27-years-stale with ethical two years as a starter beneath his belt, then there’s a ravishing quantity of upside to this addition. It will not be not easy to envision how he fits within the defense and he fills a principal want, giving the Jaguars extra flexibility in subsequent month’s draft.
With that acknowledged, it is not easy to imagine about the Jaguars got factual worth with the deal they gave Jenkins. It is in actuality a two-Twelve months contract, nonetheless they are restful banking on a beforehand average/a piece of above-average starter to manufacture into something extra beneath their get workers.
All in all, this is a high-possibility, high-reward signing. With the protection market drying up the manner it did, then again, the Jaguars mustn’t safe dinged for nabbing the player who modified into once doubtless the most easy security left on the market once John Johnson signed with the Browns. There are purple flags nonetheless there are moreover causes to judge it is a trip that would possibly well determine.